Heavenly Sisters
by pixysticks666
Summary: Season Four Speculation No Spoilers! My own spec. There's a new pilot on Galactica who will only trust Starbuck, back from the dead and hidden away from the fleet by her own fears. How do they know each other and why are Adama and Roslin so wary?
1. Chapter 1

Authors Note: This is a Season Four speculation fic (all speculation is my own - no spoilers). The story does contain spoilers through Crossroads Part II. No pairings as of yet and I don't know if there will be any. Oh, and BSG does not belong to me. Please read and review.

Part I

Her boots hit the deck with a thud. The sound resonated across the hanger and more than one deckhand stopped their work to look in her direction. The young guy in an orange jumpsuit that approached wiped his hands on a rag and raised his eyebrows. "Excuse me, Miss? You need to show official identification before disembarking on the Galactica".

Without pause and ignoring him completely she turned to reach for a beat-up military issue duffle. The deckhand, knowing when he was out of his league motioned for the closest lieutenant before making his way back over the viper he was working on. When he chanced a glance behind him she winked in his direction and shoved past the officer extending his hand to her.

Captain Kelly was the next to encounter the woman. Recently released from his stint in the brig, brought up on charges of endangering a fellow crewman, he noted the new arrival with mild interest. Dark brown hair cascading over her shoulders in waves. Like a shampoo commercial, before the end of the worlds, he thought to himself. Her back was ramrod straight, deep brown eyes flashing, committing the hanger to memory.

"Miss," he started in his most cordial manner, "civilians are not allowed to freely move around the hanger deck. I apologize but you will have to wait with your shuttle".

She snorted in disbelief and called back to the pilot currently exiting the transport. "Unload my bags carefully. They're fragile". Her voice was calm, smooth even, nothing like the sneer Kelly was presented with when she turned back to face him.

"I have an appointment," she told him. Kelly continued to stare blankly and she added, "With the commander".

How this woman could not have known that the commander had been made an admiral two years before was beyond him. He waved a marine over. "I will have you arrested if you do not return to your shuttle". His comment actually seemed to amuse her and Kelly was starting to wonder if he was staring into the face of one of the final five cylons.

"That wont be necessary," she paused and motioned with her hand.

"Captain Kelly," he supplied, puffing up his chest.

"Right," she replied still smirking, "Captain Kelly, please call William Adama and alert him that I am waiting". Nothing in her tone belied the sardonic expression she wore. She was so commanding and she couldn't be more than twenty-five. Her attitude reminded him of someone and Kelly found himself turning his back, speaking quickly with the lieutenant she had first encountered, and then walking forward to place the call. A marine remained, guarding the mysterious, brash young woman.

As Kelly waited for the admiral to be handed the phone in CIC, he watch her examine her nails in disgust before her eyes crawled their way from his boots to his eyes. Then she grinned predatorily and it wasn't entirely unpleasant Kelly thought as a shiver ran through him.

"Adama".

"Sir, we have a small situation in the hanger bay".

"Go ahead, Captain".

"There is a civilian woman here claiming that she has an appointment with you. I have repeatedly asked her to remain in her shuttle but she will not comply and insisted that I call you directly. I currently have a marine with her".

"And how did she even get onto the deck, Captain?"

"Well, Sir," Kelly cleared his throat, "apparently she flashed a set of wings and a Pegasus patch".

Adama was silent a moment before saying, "I'm on my way there now. Keep the marine on her," he stopped. Kelly thought he was signing off but Adama added, "Treat her with the utmost respect Captain".

"Yes, Sir," Kelly replied and returned the phone to its cradle. He turned back to the woman; still in the same place as she had been but now she watched him with a thick Caprican cigar shoved between her perfect, full lips. Kelly hadn't even known a decent cigar remained in the fleet; he cleared his throat again and reigned himself in. Smoke billowed around her and the marine watched with interest as she gnawed on the tip.

Captain Kelly made his way towards the young woman and her guard, "The admiral will be down to see you momentarily". She removed the cigar from her mouth, blew smoke in his face, then spit out a mouthful of brown sludge on the deck floor.

"Great," she smirked. "So, where's Starbuck?" Kelly coughed more out of surprise than necessity, though the cloud of smoke in his face was unpleasant. She seemed unmoved.

"Captain Thrace is unavailable," Kelly told her forcefully. Now he really did not understand who this woman was. Was she a reporter hoping for a story on Starbuck for Talk Wireless? Kelly couldn't stand people messing with the pilots he worked with everyday let alone Starbuck, newly returned from the dead. Again. And why was the admiral even deeming this woman the courtesy of an interview?

He had very little time to ponder such things as the admiral chose that time to appear at his side, "Thank you, Captain Kelly. That will be all". He dismissed the marine as well but the two, Adama and the brown-haired woman remained on the deck in front of a growing audience.

"So it's true?" she faced him, spoke with little respect in regards to the admiral's position in the fleet. "I want to see her".

"Captain Pleiades, I told you when you wished to return to the military you need only call," she did not respond. "You did not call," he explained.

"I thought it was more of an open invitation," Pleiades remarked flippantly picking at lint on the sleeve of her jacket.

The admiral was not amused, "We are always in need of pilots," he commented.

"I know," she replied, removing the cigar from her mouth once more. She turned to the side as she released more smoke. Clearly the woman had enough respect for Adama not to blow the smoke directly in his face. "And I still want to see Thrace," Pleiades sneered, "and until I do you're still short one more pilot, Commander".

Adama gritted his teeth clearly tiring of the captain's attitude, "I think you know very well that it is Admiral now".

"Oh yes," Pleiades' face was stony, "I apologize, Sir". Her mood changed quickly though; in a flash the patronizing grin was firmly in place once more. "My bags," she called and motioned for the shuttle pilot to bring them forward. The mysterious Captain Pleiades was very commanding. Those of Galactica's deck crew who had stopped to watch were whispering and sharing furtive glances. No one on duty had ever heard of Pleiades, which was nearly impossible as the admiral had made it clear that she was a pilot.

A viper pilot, specialist Cally guessed from the sidelines, she could always tell. And there was something in her demeanor that reminded Cally of someone but she couldn't put her finger on it, instead she went back to the raptor she was prepping.

"I'll need fairly private quarters," the captain explained to Adama, "for my," she trailed off and nodded towards her bags. The admiral noted with unease that something inside them was moving.

He was gruff, "I'm afraid we can't accommodate your every wish, Captain. There are a lot of people on this ship".

Pleiades snorted. "I'll bunk down with Thrace then. I'm sure you have her in private quarters since she is," she glanced at Captain Kelly, "unavailable. Unless of course you've stashed her in that cylon cage you keep below deck".

The admiral lowered his voice and spoke in a harsh whisper, "You know very well she has nothing to do with this. This issue is between you and me, Captain. Leave Starbuck out of it". His volume returned to normal as he continued, "Captain Thrace is unable to have visitors at this time. She has requested sometime to collect herself," he paused, "away from prying eyes".

"Of course," Captain Pleiades returned, nodding her head in agreement and the admiral finally smiled, pleased to be getting somewhere. But then she went on in a deprecating tone, "Why don't you just let her know that I'm here. That my family and I are currently homeless and see what she has to say about it". Then she added, "Sir," with a sort of cynical glee.

Seemingly unwilling to explode in front of his crew the admiral made his way over to the phone Kelly had used only minutes before. When he returned Pleiades was halfway through her cigar and tapping her foot impatiently. With his approach she cocked an eyebrow expectantly. The crew, still watching from their posts, grew quiet.

The admiral, looking fairly chastised, said, "Captain Thrace requests that you be allowed to share quarters with her and wanted me to tell you that your family," he looked pointedly at the still squirming duffel bags "are welcome as well". He waved over another marine, "Please show Captain Pleiades to her quarters".

The two marines practically frog marched the woman down the corridor, her eyes clearly taking in each face she passed, each looking back at her with some kind of confused fascination. "Bags," she called out once more and the shuttle pilot grabbed the two bags she had left behind, only carrying the beat-up duffel herself.

The admiral remained on the deck as crew members returned to work. Captain Kelly moved to stand beside him, both men watched as the impetuous Pleiades walked around a corner and out of sight. "I want to be alerted immediately when Major Adama returns from CAP," Kelly nodded. "Tell him to meet me in my quarters".

"Yes, Sir".


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Thank you so much for the reviews! Part II came to me pretty swiftly and the next two parts are in the process of being written/edited. I have decided that this story does have something of a Kara/Lee untone to it so at some point that pairing may show up but it will not be the focus of this story. Again, please read and review.

Part II

Adama was pacing his quarters when the phone rang. "Admiral Adama," he stated abruptly. There was only one person he wanted to speak to right now.

"Admiral," Laura Roslin addressed him in a soothing voice.

"I need you to get over here as soon as possible".

"Has Captain Thrace given you any more information on the path to Earth?" excitement was evident in her voice.

"No," he paused to remove his glasses and rub his tired eyes, "this is something much more unexpected".

"Well, I am intrigued," Laura replied. "I'll be on the next shuttle".

"Good".

"Bill," she started unsure what to ask exactly, she settled on, "Are you alright?"

"Yes," he told her, "I'm fine. I'm just concerned that we might have a situation here and I need to get your opinion before I do something about it".

"Alright," and they signed off.

As the admiral returned the phone there was a sharp rapping on his hatch, "Come in," he called knowing full well that it was Saul Tigh on the other side.

"Colonel," Adama nodded.

Tigh was bursting with questions but the first out of his mouth was, "Bill, what the frak happened down on the hanger deck earlier? The whole frakking ship is talking about it".

William Adama sank down heavily in his chair and motioned for Tigh to take a seat across from him, "I'll tell you everything when the president gets here. She's on her way now".

"You're bringing in Laura Roslin?"

"I need her opinion on something".

Tigh reached for the bottle on the admiral's desk and poured himself a stiff drink. He was fairly sure he was going to need it for a change.

President Roslin arrived some time later. Adama would say that it felt like hours but in reality it had only been about twenty minutes. He greeted her with a relieved, "You're here".

"Now, what was so important that I had to rush over from Colonial One?" Adama rested his hand on Laura's lower back, guiding her toward his seating area. Tigh grabbed his drink, sloshed in two more fingers of liquor and joined them.

Adama finally dropped the tick manila file he had been carrying around with him for the past thirty minutes as he alternately paced and sat at his desk. He looked directly at Laura Roslin and said with a sad smile, "She's come back". He took a seat beside her.

"Starbuck?" Tigh asked sounding incredulous, "But we all knew that. It's all over the fleet".

"Oh, I know it's all over the fleet, Saul," the admiral told him. "However, I am not talking about Kara".

Roslin appeared as confused as Colonel Tigh, "But then who are you talking about, Bill?" She placed a comforting hand on his forearm in hopes of calming him enough to get his point across.

"Captain Sheba Pleiades," again he removed his glasses, this time placing them on top of the file.

Tigh asked, "Who?"

Roslin questioned unbelievingly, "Cain's daughter?"

Before the admiral could confirm or deny Tigh exploded, "Cain had a daughter?" He paused, "In the frakking fleet?" He slammed his drink down on the table and mirrored Bill, rubbing his remaining eye.

"She did have a daughter," Roslin explained, "though the only people who are aware of that fact, at least that we know of, are in this room".

"How did she hide that? And on her own ship for Zeus' sake?" Tigh was livid, on the one hand for being out of the loop and on the other for the wool having been pulled over all their eyes by Cain.

"That's her file," Adama told him, pointing to the folder on the table.

"We retrieved it after Cain's death along with all other personnel records kept on the Pegasus," Roslin told him. "Billy," she paused, a look of sadness crossing her serene visage for a moment, "he went through each file, looking for anything that might stand out and he came across Sheba".

"But she's been out in the fleet?" Tigh asked. "I don't remember ever hearing anything about Cain's frakking daughter before now".

"Yes," Bill said picking up the file and paging through it, "however, she was stationed on Pegasus at the time of the attacks".

"Something orchestrated by her mother it seems. She liked having Sheba close".

The colonel muttered indignantly, "Fleet regulations clearly state…" but Adama cut him off.

"Cain was able to bypass regulations because Sheba's last name is Pleiades. Her father's name. Cain and Sheba's father were never officially married".

"Well," Tigh went on, "what exactly do we know about her?"

Roslin rattled off some basic facts gleamed from Sheba's personnel file, "Raised mostly by her father and paternal grandmother on Caprica, attended flight academy, was stationed on Pegasus under Cain's command, was made captain shortly after the attacks on the Twelve Colonies," she trailed off.

"And that's where things become a little more," the admiral's lip quirked, "interesting. Shortly before we came across the Pegasus a complaint had been lodged against Captain Pleiades and a Lieutenant Thanius".

To the colonel's blank expression Roslin supplied, "It would seem that they were breaking regulations and had become involved romantically".

"Oh," he replied, riveted.

"Cain had brushed the incident under the rug. Moved the complaining officer to another bunkroom and had given both Sheba and this other pilot a slap on the wrist for dumbed down charges," the president continued. "When their ship joined the fleet Sheba requested a leave of absence for an undetermined amount of time. In Lieutenant Thanius' file there is a medical note discharging him from active duty. He was incapable of flying a viper due to a genetic disorder which presented itself at that time. Pegasus no longer had an on staff physician so it seems Sheba hoped to find help for this man within the fleet".

"And," Tigh prompted.

"We're not really sure," Bill told him while refilling drinks. "The paper trail ends when Sheba enters a shuttle traveling to the Rising Star. When Cain died she was tracked down and she was still with this lieutenant".

Roslin stated, "She never believed that the cylon prisoner killed her mother. She maintains that Cain was assassinated on order from either the admiral or myself. And that Bill is falsely and wrongly leading the fleet under an undeserved title".

"She called you commander down in the hanger deck," Tigh commented, realization striking.

The admiral grunted, "News really does travel fast".

Tigh shrugged, "It's a frakking battlestar, Bill" Roslin raised a hand to cover her mouth as she quietly laughed at the colonel's comment. "But now she's back? And on Galactica looking to be reinstated?"

"Actually Saul," Bill commented, "she only agreed to get back in a viper when I allowed her to see Starbuck".

"I thought Thrace wasn't seeing anyone. Not even you, Bill".

The admiral frowned, his face pulled down in sorrow, "She wanted to see Captain Pleiades. I don't know what I had been expecting from Kara but I can admit I was more than a little surprised by her willingness. Her offer to allow Sheba to bunk with her was," he searched for the right word, "unforeseen".

"Lords," said the colonel in wonder, shaking his head.

"And the lieutenant?" Roslin asked.

"Died," Adama told her matter-of-factly. Laura looked down at her hands folded in her lap and the men remained silent for a moment before going on.

"So Bill, you think Cain's daughter is up to something? That's why she's back?"

"I'm not sure. That is why you're both here".

Roslin looked thoughtful for a moment before commenting, "I wish I knew what her interest in Captain Thrace was".

"There is certainly no explanation in her file," the admiral told her stoically. "I've been through it at least a dozen times".

Adama rose as his phone rang once more, "Yes," he asked brusquely. It was Captain Kelly calling to inform him that Major Adama was currently on-ship and that he was on his way to the admiral's quarters. "Thank you, Captain".


	3. Chapter 3

Authors Note: This is a Season Four speculation fic (all speculation is my own - no spoilers). The story does contain spoilers through Crossroads Part II. Oh, and BSG does not belong to me. Please read and review.

"Lee is on his way from the hanger deck. I was hoping he might know something or have overheard some of the other pilots talking during his time on Pegasus".

"It's unlikely," Laura started. "There were numerous disciplinary actions shortly after Sheba removed herself from her mother's ship. Those who made comment regarding her daughter's possible desertion were punished for slandering a fellow crew member. And the others it seems were fiercely loyal to their favorite pilot, which Pleiades certainly was," Roslin smiled a seemingly satisfied grin. "I am fairly certain the staff and pilots on Pegasus were either scared of coming forward or scared of what we would do to Sheba and Thanius".

"She was a good pilot?"

"She was Saul, one of the best on Pegasus but unfortunately above authority and overly confident. Traits that landed more than a few disciplinary notices in her file".

"Sounds familiar," Tigh observed before Adama silenced him with a glare.

"Again these were all things that her mother worked hard to cover-up," the president commented, easing the sudden tension in the room.

At that time there was a knock on the hatch and Lee Adama entered. He was momentarily surprised to find his father with the president and Tigh but recovered quickly. "Admiral, Madame President, Colonel," he greeted. "You wanted to see me," he directed at his father.

"Lee, take a seat," the admiral motioned to the chair by his desk. "We're just discussing your newest pilot". Lee's face remained impassive though his eyes were questioning.

"What pilot would that be, Sir?" If this meeting was in regards to his pilots Lee decided it would be in his best interest to keep things professional.

"A Captain Sheba Pleiades," he father told him and Lee nearly choked on his own tongue.

Clearly stunned, he gasped, "From Picon?"

"You know her?" The admiral asked equally surprised. He had expected that Lee might know of her, not that his son might have had contact with the young Pleiades before the attacks.

"Of course I know her. I thought she was dead," he collected himself and added, "like everyone else".

"She was stationed on the Pegasus," Tigh volunteered, joining in the conversation.

"That's impossible," Lee told them, "As commander of the Pegasus I would have seen her, saw her name, something".

"Son," Bill asked, now concerned and allowing his paternal instinct to override his curiosity and military protocol, "were you," he stopped, waited, then, "involved with the captain at some point?"

Lee's face twisted answering Adama's question without words. "Well, not that she wasn't beaut…" he trailed off. "You know, that's not really important right now".

"She's Cain's kid," Tigh informed him. As Bill and Laura's eyes flew in his direction the colonel figured that maybe he had had too much to drink today. He also noted that Lee's eyes went as round as saucers.

"Cain? Admiral Cain? She had a daughter?"

"It's apparently a very shocking revelation," Laura told him smiling mildly.

"And she is Sheba Pleiades," Lee made sure to slowly and properly pronounce her name. At his father's nod he continued, "And she's on Galactica? Where the frak has she been all this time?"

Adama just handed him the file, "You're her CAG. Read her file when you have some time". Lee sat the folder down in front of him and stared at it.

"Where is she now?"

"She requested to share quarters with Starbuck. Kara agreed. So, Sheba is there now". Lee's eyes looked as if they would pop right out of their sockets. "I'm sorry Lee but we don't have time to go into all of that right now," Adama went on.

"No," Lee cut in, shaking his head, "that makes sense. She would want to be in a room with Kara at a time like this. When she doesn't know anyone. On a new ship".

The admiral stared at his son, as did the president, and Tigh poured himself another drink. On a day like that one could never have too much alcohol.

"Lee?"

"In her file," he asked, "does it mention anything about her time at the academy?"

"Very little," his father replied.

"Or maybe that Kara was Sheba's flight instructor at some point?"

"No," the three replied in unison sharing furtive glances.

"Oracle," he stopped and off of their confused expressions added, "that was," he corrected himself, "is her callsign. Gifted to her by Starbuck".

Roslin nodded, on the edge of her seat. "Go on," Adama told him impatiently.

"She was in Kara's first batch of nuggets at the academy. Sheba was actually only a couple of years behind her but far enough behind me that we were never enrolled during the same year. She was," he paused looking pensive, "A year or two ahead of Zak. I don't remember exactly".

Adama couldn't help himself, "Did she," he coughed awkwardly, "did she know him?"

Lee actually laughed, "Yeah," and smiled to himself, "in fact, they went out a couple of times before he and Kara, well," he didn't finish, lost in the thoughts of another time.

When the other three continued to gape in silence Lee shook himself and went on, "She and Kara were pretty good friends even after the Zak issue. You know, he just had that way about him, no hard feelings, Kara is my new girlfriend, and Sheba was never that into Zak, she moved on pretty quickly he told me. They could be themselves around her I guess. And it was around that time, when she was spending more time with Starbuck that Sheba really found her calling. Hardheaded, hot-tempered viper-jock. Starbuck just made it look easy and no one frakked with her after that," Lee started feeling wistful, reminiscing about better times. He was never around much then but loved all the stories his brother told him in his letters; Lee had even been a little jealous.

"Kara taught her everything she knows. How to fly, how to drink, how to play triad; she's a force of nature, like Kara and she's going to be a frakking pain in my ass, a CAG's nightmare". But he was still smiling and it had been so long since William Adama had seen his remaining son happy. For now he was willing to let go of a little of his prejudice against Sheba. He was wary of her and her animosity toward himself and the president but they would give it a try. They really could use another hotshot pilot out there until Starbuck was ready to get back in her bird.

"Alright son, I'll have her report to your briefing at 0800".

Lee nodded and rose to leave but turned back, "Could I," he sighed, "I mean would it be possible for me to go and speak with her?"

The admiral frowned at Lee's hopeful expression; he didn't want to break his son's heart. Kara did not want to see anyone, especially Lee and Adama had promised to respect her wishes. But he hadn't shared that information with Lee who attempted daily to visit her; the father in him could not stand allowing his son to hurt in such a way.

However, being turned away each day, being told that Captain Thrace was resting or not seeing visitors at that time was beginning to make Lee suspicious. The same suspicion that was growing throughout the crew; there were rumors that Starbuck was a cylon, disfigured, insane. None of which were entirely true but how could he explain without breaching her confidence? And now with Captain Sheba Pleiades and her mysterious bag of squirming family it was only going to make the matter worse. Adama found himself sighing and dropping back into his seat.

A/N – From here the relationships on Galactica are going to get interesting and let's just say Sheba and Apollo might not see eye to eye on a few things for the time being. Oh, and Starbuck will make an appearance in Part IV and then we wont be able to get rid of her, I promise.


End file.
